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Long bright floor with full-height glazing, a polished floor and blue columns, cleared and ready for the next fit-out

Strip Out Contractors for Commercial Buildings

One team, one contact: stripped to what the lease or the fit-out needs, nothing more.

Since 2016

10+ years building and handing back
London commercial space

Strip-out, reinstatement and fit-out

  • 3 weeksto refurbish 750 sq m at Beaumont House against a lease deadline
  • 1,550 sq mof offices at Portsoken House, built with tenants at work
  • 60%of the labour on site is our own team
  • £10Mpublic and employers' liability cover on every job

Strip out only what the lease or the fit-out needs

Craftex are strip out contractors for offices, shops, restaurants, warehouses and hotels in London and the South East: soft strip, full strip back to shell, and M&E strip-out, timed to your lease date or your fit-out start. We strip only what the lease or the next design needs, keep what can be reused, and rebuild under the same contract when you need it.

One team, one point of contact. Our in-house RICS-qualified quantity surveyor prices the strip-out against the lease or the fit-out drawings before anything comes down, and our own crews carry it out. We take on whole floors and whole buildings, usually as part of a dilapidations handback, a Cat A reinstatement or a new fit-out.

Every strip-out starts with a refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey, as HSE guidance HSG264 requires before refurbishment or demolition work, and with the services isolated and recorded. Any licensed asbestos work goes to a licensed contractor before our crews start. Waste is segregated on site and recorded, and what can be reused or recycled leaves the building first.

Suspended ceiling grid with deep coffers and light panels seen from below

Trusted by leading businesses

  • Trainline
  • Auto Trader
  • YouTube
  • Medusa
  • Fuse
  • Drakes
  • PTOS
  • Close Connections
  • Marnie
  • Vortex Post
  • Minds Ahead
  • Missy
  • Fora
  • Gama Healthcare
  • Equinix
  • Hubble
  • B-Engineering

Strip-out works we carry out

Six kinds of strip-out, each priced against the lease or the drawings before anything comes down.

Interior being soft stripped, with finishes and fittings removed and debris on the floor

Soft strip

Finishes, ceilings, partitions, floor coverings and joinery removed back to the base build.

Unit stripped back to its brick walls and slab, with a compact excavator inside

Full strip back to shell

Everything out to the slab, columns and core, ready for a new design or a re-let.

Ceiling services and cable trays above a stripped floor

M&E strip-out and safe isolation

Power, water, gas and ventilation isolated, made safe and recorded before removal.

Ceiling grid with open panels seen from below

Raised floors and suspended ceilings

Lifted, sorted and reused or recycled, with the grid and slab left clean.

Long run of blue steel racking frames in a warehouse

Racking, mezzanines and plant

Dismantled in order, moved or sold where possible, floors and fixings made good.

Commercial kitchen with stainless counters, pendant lights and an oven

Kitchens, bars and shopfronts

Catering equipment, extraction, bars and shopfronts removed and services capped.

Soft strip or full strip out?

Room mid strip-out with a ladder, opened walls and building materials

Soft strip takes out everything that is not the building: finishes, ceilings, partitions, floor coverings and loose services. Full strip goes back to the slab, columns and core. A lease that asks for the floor back as let usually needs a soft strip and a Cat A reinstatement, not a shell.

Read more

Soft strip demolition is the industry name for removing a building's non-structural contents before refurbishment or demolition. Which one your lease needs depends on the reinstatement clause, any licence for alterations and whether the landlord has served a notice to reinstate. We read those before we price, so the floor is not stripped further than it has to be.

How it works

How a strip-out runs, survey to clean shell

  1. Survey and isolation

    • Refurbishment and demolition asbestos survey, then services isolated and recorded.
  2. Strip plan and reuse list

    • What comes out, what stays, what is reused, sold or recycled.
  3. Strip and segregate

    • Our crews strip in sequence, with waste segregated and recorded.
  4. Make good and clean

    • Fixings removed, slab and walls made good, the floor cleaned.
  5. Handback or fit-out start

    • Keys back on the date, or the fit-out starts the next day.

Lease-end strip-out for tenants and landlords

Open-plan office floor with rows of desks and blue screens before handback

For tenants: strip to the lease. We strip exactly what the lease and licences require, keep what the landlord agrees can stay and finish before the end date. More on tenant dilapidations.

Empty office floor with glazed doors and sunlight across the floor

For landlords: back to Cat A between tenants. We strip the last tenant's fit-out and reinstate the floor so it lets. More on our dilapidation works for landlords.

Strip-out by type of building

Every building type leaves different things behind. The same team strips each one to what the lease or the next design needs.

Office with glazed meeting rooms and a timber-effect floor

Offices

Partitions, raised floors, ceilings and comms rooms stripped to the lease or to Cat A. See office dilapidations.

Empty shop unit with a glazed shopfront in a shopping arcade

Shops and banks

Shopfronts, signage, joinery, counters and vault fittings removed with the facade made good. See retail dilapidations.

Restaurant dining room with long tables beside a run of tall windows

Restaurants and hotels

Kitchens, extraction, bars and guest-room fit-out stripped with services capped. See restaurant dilapidations.

Empty pallet racking in a cleared warehouse

Warehouses and factories

Racking, mezzanines, offices and plant taken out and the slab repaired. See warehouse dilapidations.

Cover of the free Craftex guide to fit-out and M&E works

Free guide: fit-out and MEP works at lease end

How fit-out and M&E packages are scoped, stripped, sequenced and signed off, drawn from real strip-out and fit-out programmes. A short, free read before the strip-out starts.

One team, one point of contact

Six promises, written into your contract

  1. One team, one point of contact

    Pricing, strip-out, reinstatement and fit-out under one contract, with one person accountable.

    Drake's: old warehouse handed back and the move done by one team.

  2. Priced before it comes down

    Every line is costed by our in-house QS before anything comes down, and the figure stands.

    we won Drake's warehouse by coming in about £15k below the other quotes.

  3. Our own crews, on the date

    Around 60% of the work on site is done by our own crews, planned around your operations.

    Beaumont House, 750 sq m in 3 weeks with five weeks left on the lease.

  4. Reuse and recycle first

    What can be reused, moved or sold leaves before the skip arrives.

  5. £10M cover on every job

    Public and employers' liability of £10 million each.

  6. Every record at handback

    Isolation records, waste transfer notes and photos for the handback pack.

Example quotation with the note: send it to us, we will beat it

Already have a quote? Send it to us. We'll beat it.

Holding a strip-out quote, a landlord's schedule or a contractor's price for the reinstatement? Send it to us. A director reviews it and replies the same working day, showing line by line how we beat it for the same scope.

Compare your options

Where strip-outs go wrong, and what we do instead

AreaThe usual riskWith Craftex
Asbestosstrip-out starts without a refurbishment and demolition surveythe survey comes first, and licensed work goes to a licensed contractor
Serviceslive services cut during the stripisolated, made safe and recorded first
Reusereusable fit-out goes in a skipit is listed, moved, sold or recycled first
Scopestripped further than the lease asksstripped to the lease or the drawings, nothing more
Wastemixed waste with no recordssegregated, with a transfer note for every load
The gapweeks between strip-out and fit-outthe fit-out starts the day the strip-out ends

What sets the cost of a strip-out?

We do not publish strip-out prices: each one depends on the building and what the lease or the design needs. These six things decide it, and here is what we do about each.

What moves the costWhat we do
Floor area and number of floorsWe plan the sequence floor by floor
Soft strip or full strip to shellWe price only what the lease or design needs
M&E to isolate and removeWe isolate and record before anything is cut
Asbestos found in the surveyLicensed work is sequenced before our crews start
Access, lifts and working hoursWe plan out-of-hours work in occupied buildings
Waste, reuse and recyclingWe reuse, sell or recycle before anything is skipped

Our team

  • in

Strip-out questions

What is soft strip demolition?

Removing a building's non-structural contents, such as finishes, ceilings, partitions and loose services, before refurbishment or demolition. The structure, slab and core stay.

Do we need an asbestos survey before a strip-out?

Yes. HSE guidance HSG264 says a refurbishment and demolition survey is needed before any refurbishment or demolition work. It locates asbestos in the area to be worked on, using intrusive inspection.

Do you remove raised floors, ceilings and partitions?

Yes. Raised floors, suspended ceilings, partitions and their services are the core of most office strip-outs. We sort them for reuse or recycling as they come out.

What can be reused or recycled?

Raised floor tiles, ceiling tiles, glazed partitions, furniture, lighting, racking and catering equipment often have a second life. Metals, timber and plasterboard are segregated for recycling.

Can you strip out while the building is occupied?

Yes. Noisy work and deliveries are planned out of hours, with escape routes, lifts and services kept open for the occupiers who stay.

Do you strip M&E and isolate services?

Yes. Power, water, gas and ventilation are isolated and recorded before removal, and capped safely where the lease or the next design needs them.

Can you start the fit-out straight after?

Yes. When the same team strips and builds, the new fit-out follows straight on, with no handover gap.

Do you work outside London?

Yes. We strip out whole floors and buildings across London and the South East, including Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

How fast do you reply?

Fast: every enquiry gets an answer on the same working day it arrives.

What our clients say

See all reviews on Google
  • I’d like to thank the team at Сraftex for the work they did on our office.
    It was really important for us to get the work done quickly, but without compromising on quality, as we regularly have clients and guests visiting and needed to move into the new office within a month.
    We spent around two weeks discussing and agreeing all the details before the work started. What I really appreciated was that everything we agreed beforehand was actually followed through during the job. The work was also completed on time.
    Thanks to the whole Сraftex team for a great job. I’d definitely use them again if we need any work done in the future.

    IURII PYLYPETS

  • Craftex has completed a range of both small and large-scale projects on our commercial property with exceptional precision and quality. Dmitriy consistently delivers courteous, prompt service and has shown great flexibility in accommodating last-minute changes to plans and timelines. I highly recommend Craftex for their professionalism and outstanding workmanship.

    Pascal Hunt

  • We hired Craftex for a commercial ground floor fit-out with 2 flats above. There were some minor co-ordination hiccups with third-party suppliers but the team kept it moving. Finish quality was strong. Kitchens and doors look great. I have already asked them for a quote on the next project.

    Ben Edell

  • Craftex carried out a warehouse fit-out for us, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. The space has been completely transformed into a highly organized and efficient environment that makes our daily operations much smoother.
    The team was professional but also very approachable — I always felt comfortable asking questions or giving feedback. They came up with smart, practical solutions that worked perfectly for our setup, and everything was explained clearly along the way.
    The best part was how they stuck to the agreed timeline, finishing on schedule without cutting corners. It’s rare to get both quality and reliability, but Craftex delivered both.

    Roma Shchukin

  • Hired Craftex for our conversion project. We had to convert a 600m2 office into 8 apartments. Guys did an excellent job in terms of program efficiency and quality of the finishes which gave us a big upside to exit the project 2 months faster than other competitors’ timelines.

    Misha Levit

  • Great experience from start to finish. Communication was clear, the workmanship was excellent, and the whole project was managed professionally.

    Rhea Langford

  • We recently worked with Craftex and honestly couldn’t be happier with the results. From start to finish, the team was professional, reliable, and highly skilled. The quality of workmanship exceeded our expectations, and everything was completed on time and to a very high standard.
    Communication throughout the project was excellent, and they always went above and beyond to make sure we were satisfied. It’s rare to find a construction company that combines professionalism, attention to detail, and great customer service so well.
    Without a doubt, Craftex is one of the best construction companies we have ever worked with. Highly recommended to anyone looking for quality and trustworthy builders.

    Adam Miah

  • Great company to work with as always. Super flexible at dealing with evolving requirements and fast deployment and execution.

    Akshay Khanna

  • Hired Craftex to do the full design and fit out of my gym in Chelsea. Super efficient and fast team. They gave the best price and a proper fast track program. We managed to open in less than 6 weeks with no headaches or surprises during construction. Quality was great, we had zero snags on completion. I’ve worked with a few companies before but these guys really impressed me from project management to how they treat the client. Top GGs.

    Александр Хоменко

  • I worked perfectly with Sviat and Joe, with their architect they came up with a very smart design for our office to fit more desks and optimise the space to its maximum capacity. They also did excellent value engineering on the MEP design proposed by others, allowing us to save around £50K. The quality and speed were outstanding we finished two weeks ahead of schedule. Highly recommend these guys.

    John Smith

  • Happy with the end result. Tight timeline but they pulled it off. The team worked late shifts and even weekends to help us open the doors on schedule. Site was always left tidy at the end of the day and no surprise charges either. Good communication throughout. Would definitely use Craftex again.

    Pawel Kamionka

  • Highly recommended!
    Craftex are the kind of fit-out contractors in London you can truly trust. From the very first meeting, they understood our vision and gave practical ideas to make the most of our space. They turned our old storage area into a clean, efficient, and well-organized warehouse. The team was professional, easy to work with, and clearly took pride in their work.

    Monika Kamionka

  • We brought in Craftex to refurb our London office and honestly, they made the whole thing way easier than we expected. They listened, suggested ideas we wouldn’t have thought of, and explained everything clearly. Not the cheapest quote we got, but the end result shows why, the place looks modern, clean, and our team actually enjoys being here now. Communication was spot-on too. No chasing and confusion, deadlines were hit. If you want people who genuinely care and don’t treat your project like “another job,” I’d recommend them.

    A Google User

  • Sviat and his team at Craftex were brilliant to work with on our office redesign. From the first meeting, they took the time to understand how we actually use the space rather than just pitching generic solutions. They came back with clever, practical ideas to maximise use of the space and get more employees and desks inside . Every step was handled professionally, and the process felt surprisingly smooth for a project of this size. They finished one week ahead of schedule, and the transformation is clear — our office feels brighter, more functional, and much more welcoming. I’d happily recommend Craftex to anyone who wants a reliable design team that also makes the journey enjoyable.

    Cucu Iulian

  • We recently worked with Sviat and the Craftex team on a complete warehouse refurbishment, and the results have been outstanding. From the very beginning, their team was professional, organized, and attentive to every detail. The project was completed on time and within budget, without disrupting our day-to-day operations.

    Simone Racaku

  • My experience with Craftex was excellent from beginning to end. They took the time to really listen to what I wanted and then offered practical suggestions that made the design even better. I always felt like they cared about creating a space that worked for me, not just one that looked nice on paper. The end result is an office that feels stylish, welcoming, and very functional for day-to-day work. The process itself was straightforward, well-managed, and never stressful. I’d definitely recommend Craftex if you’re looking for office design and build services in London — they made the whole journey a positive one.

    Ion Bounegru

  • I’m really pleased with my experience working with Craftex. As a commercial construction firm, they handled everything from start to finish without any unnecessary stress on my side. What impressed me was how they suggested practical ideas that improved the design while also keeping things realistic. The communication was always clear, so I never felt out of the loop. The project ran smoothly, deadlines were met, and the end result is exactly what I was hoping for — a space that feels both functional and modern. It’s not easy finding contractors who are this reliable, but Craftex definitely proved they can be trusted.

    Taron Papoyan

  • I had an amazing experience working with Sviat and the Craftex team on our office fit-out in London. They were always professional, responsive, and quick to offer the best advice whenever decisions needed to be made. I really appreciated how they balanced style with practicality — the office doesn’t just look fantastic, it works perfectly for our team. Everything was done with care and attention to detail, and the project never felt overwhelming because they managed it so well. Communication was clear from start to finish, and I always felt involved in the process. I would happily recommend Craftex to anyone looking for a trustworthy contractor.

    Artur Dvorak

  • We’re extremely happy with Sviat and the Craftex team’s work. They suggested clever ideas, managed the project efficiently, and delivered a functional, modern space. The team was easy to communicate with and very professional throughout the process!

    Polina Lysenko

  • I can honestly say our office has been completely transformed thanks to Craftex. From the very first meeting, the team was approachable, professional, and full of creative ideas that really made sense for our business. They didn’t just focus on how the space would look but also how it would work for the team day-to-day. The new layout is efficient, modern, and welcoming, and you can tell they really thought about the details. The whole process was smooth and surprisingly stress-free. They kept me updated at every stage, which gave me confidence. I’m really happy with the results and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

    Mykyta Khadzhynov

  • The results from Craftex’s commercial refurbishment in London are fantastic. The team was friendly, clear in communication, and made sure the project stayed on track. The workspace now feels efficient, welcoming, and modern. Definitely a team you can trust!

    Alaa Betar

  • These guys actually deliver. They handled our first industrial to residential conversion near Tower Bridge, turned an old warehouse into 4 modern flats. They stuck to the plan, kept the site clean and the timing was on point. No hidden extras, no drama, just a professional construction company in London that gets the job done.

    Богдан Главацкий

  • We recently hired Craftex for a commercial office fit-out project in Central London, and overall, we’re really happy with the result. There was a delay on our side with a custom glass partition supplier, but the Craftex team managed the construction schedule very professionally and kept everything on track. Their guys worked clean, respected our workspace and IT setup, and kept the site tidy throughout. If you're looking for a reliable office refurbishment company in London, I’d definitely recommend Craftex. Would use them again without hesitation.

    Ardian Beleshi

  • This was a full high-end renovation of my Victorian rental apartment in Westminster, just off Sloane Square and Belgravia. The scope included full fit-out: electrics, plumbing, a new bespoke kitchen, and a luxury bathroom refurbishment. Craftex took care of everything and made the process easy. They weren’t the cheapest, but you can tell they really know what they’re doing when it comes to prime London property renovations.
    The team was professional, organised, and genuinely seemed to care about getting everything right. I was especially impressed with the quality of the finish – the attention to detail really shows in every corner.
    I’m very happy with the results and would definitely recommend Craftex to anyone looking for reliable, high-quality renovation work in Central London.

    Наталия Цимбалюк

  • I was stressed about timing since we had bookings lined up, but they smashed it. Even worked Saturday to finish the floor. My clients love the look — the beauty salon fit-out turned out exactly how I wanted. Couldn’t have pulled it off without their help. Genuinely appreciate the way they communicated throughout the refurbishment. If you need reliable help with beauty salon design or fit-out, especially in a place like Chelsea — these are the guys.

    Rami Jusupova

  • We used Craftex for a shop-to-flat conversion in Chelsea — turning an old retail space into two rental units. Access wasn’t the easiest, but the guys handled it well, no drama. Quote was clear, no hidden extras, and they actually stuck to it, which is rare. Finish came out solid, exactly what we needed for rentals. Joe (PM) kept things ticking and communication was always on point. All in all, smooth job — would use them again for sure.👍

    Apartify Estates

  • Fuse Energy hired Craftex on the fit-out and installation of our engineering and research centre, which included electrical, heating, lighting, plumbing, and ventilation upgrades. They delivered everything to a high standard and were proactive throughout — even working weekends to help speed up the programme, despite not being contracted to. They managed last-minute changes very well, communication was clear and consistent, and the team was professional from start to finish. We’d happily recommend Craftex to anyone needing a reliable construction partner.

    Hainro Eybers

  • Holistic therapy space fit-out
    Super impressed. I had a very specific vision for the studio. calm tones, soft lighting, hidden storage etc. the craftex team just got it. build was done quicker than I expected and the guys were polite, tidy and actually listened. we had 2 snags on day one but they fixed it before the week was out. worth it for the peace of mind.

    Dariia Shvyryda

  • Made a full refurbishment and redesign of our Central London office. Fantastic work, quality service and reliable people. Can recommend it to everybody

    Nikita Nigai

  • Amazing experience with these guys. I trusted them my apartment in London and Business. They are always accurate, very professional, responsive and neat. They would always advice me right things for my best interest. I had luxury experience with them and I would definitely recommend Craftex to everyone.

    Motush Motushev

  • Could not be HAPPIER with Sviat and the Craftex team, they certainly showed me that they’re the number one office design company in London that we’ve had the pleasure of working with. They gave us a unique design just like we wanted, and we loved the first initial draft of the concept. Also have to give them props for Construction, I gave them a tight timeline as we needed to move our team in ASAP, so they pulled double shifts and I didn’t see a drop in quality. Will be to talking to the team when we move up to our next bigger office. Highly recommended A+++

    Mikhail Burdoev

  • Very professional company. Craftex did brilliant minimalistic design and completely refurbished my apartment to the highest quality.

    Vlad

  • I and my husband are very satisfied with Craftex's service and customer support. We bought a house in Hampstead and wanted to redesign and renovate it. On our initial free consultation with Sviat, we found out that we actually can do loft conversion and rear extension and add value to the property straight away.
    We worked with the Craftex design team to bring our vision to life and deliver planning approvals. At that time guys started stripping out to save time on the construction programme as we wanted to move in ASAP.
    We worked with very experienced project director Konstantin who was responsible for all aspects of project delivery from design to construction with a very good eye on details and customer care.
    We saved a lot of money by having professional advice from the start. Project management and quality at Craftex are at the highest level. Many thanks to Craftex Team.

    Lia Lavryk

  • ISO 9001
  • ISO 14001
  • ISO 45001
  • CHAS
  • Constructionline Gold
  • SafeContractor
  • TrustMark
  • FMB
  • NICEIC
  • NAPIT
  • MCS
  • CSCS
  • Considerate Constructors
  • RICS, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • RIBA, Royal Institute of British Architects
  • ARB, Architects Registration Board
  • Public & Employers' Liability £10M
  • Professional Indemnity £10M
  • ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified

Stripping out a floor or a building?

One team, one point of contact from strip-out to keys. Send the floor plans, the lease or just the address. We will come back to you the same working day.

Unit 5, 160 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TR

info@craftex.co.uk

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